1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to a neutralization device and a developing device that includes the neutralization device. This application also relates to an image forming apparatus that includes the developing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus employing electrophotographic technology, such as a printer, a copier or a facsimile machine, includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, an exposure head, a developing roller, a transfer roller and a fixing unit. The charging roller uniformly charges a surface of the drum. The exposure head exposes the charged surface of the drum to light to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing roller develops the latent image with toner, thereby forming a toner image on the drum. The transfer roller transfers the toner image to a sheet. The fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the sheet.
The image forming apparatus also includes a neutralization device, which neutralizes the charged surface of the drum after the toner image has been transferred to the sheet. The device is composed of a columnar optical conductor, which has an optical diffusion region on its side extending in the longitudinal direction. The conductor receives light emitted by a light source and applies the light to the surface of the drum through the diffusion region to neutralize the surface. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-43633 discloses one such neutralization device.
In the aforementioned neutralization device, however, the light applied to the drum by the conductor lacks uniformity, resulting in nonuniform neutralization of the surface of the drum.